Curtis United Methodist Church
History of the Campground Methodist Episcopal Church Curtis Methodist Church
(As the result of a three-year study by Richard N. Phillips)
This historial record will not be definite in several places because of the fact that there were no other historiacal records concerning events of the chuch.
In the year 1817 the Rev. Henery Stephenson served a Methodist circuit in the Louisiana Terriory close to the Red River, being appointed by the Tennessee Methodist Conference, and it was this same year that he crossed the Red River into Texas Terriory becoming the first protestant minister ever to do so. The life of Rev. Stephenson is not to be underestimated as to his effect upon Methodism in Texas today. The big gun-toting preacher was born in Virginia in 1772, four years before the first sermon of Methodist origin was preached in America. He grew up Methodism. While serving near the Texas border he became concerned of the spirirual welfare of American settlers making their home in the fertile valleys of what later became known a East Texas.
Texas being under Mexican rule had only one church sanctioned by the government which was the Catholic Church. In the year fo 1833 Samuel Doak McMahan experienced salvation in prayer to God. He began to search for a Methodist minister to come and preach to his family and neighbors. After a time Rev. Stephenson heard of Mr. McMahan's desire and desire and immediately made plans to go into Texas on a preaching tour. Even at the age of 61 Rev. Stephenson had not lost his dry humor. "It's my calling to take the word to Texas," he murmured as he started across the Red River.
"So, immerse thyself, horse, like unto a Baptist, and let us mingle with the Texans." In this manner the protestand minister, being a Methodist, entered on Texas soil.
Secret meeting were held in McMahan's home where Rev. Stephenson delivered revival sermons which resulted in the organization of the first protestant church which became know in 1837 as McMahan's Chapel.
William Byerly married Edith Stephenson, daughter of Rev Henery Stehenson. According to all that I have found in reading and speaking with some of our older members and the stories that they have related to me, which were told to thim first hand, I would put the approximate date of the actual organization of the Campground Methodist Episcopal Church shortly after Texas gained her independence at San Jacinto. This would be between the latter part of 1836 to the middle of 1837. We have evidence that the church was organized for quite sone time before the purchased land to build their church. It was on August 5 1843, that the church whick had already be organized purchased ten acres of land from Adam Byerly and his wife Nancy C. Byerly for the sum of $100.00. This site was the campground that Rev. Henry Stephenson stood on when he preached his first sermon to the people of this area.
Please take the time to read the full account of the history of this church - and when you visit, be sure to take in the beauty of the stained glass windows. This church is the epitome, to us, of what a "little white church" would look like.
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The cache you are looking for is a green ammo can.